1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of physiological monitoring. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for determining an individual""s rate of oxygen consumption in order to measure the amount of work performed by the individual""s body.
2. The Prior State-of-the-Art
Human health can be determined and treated upon analyzing specific physiological characteristics of a human body. One such physiological characteristic, the rate for which the human body consumes oxygen, provides one of the best measurements for analysis of work performed by the human body. Within the body, the cardiovascular system delivers oxygen to the muscles for the use in burning various fuels such as carbohydrates and fats, thereby yielding energy. This rate of oxygen consumption is commonly known as VO2.
Traditionally, an individual""s VO2 has been obtained by comparing the individual""s inhaled air volume from his/her exhaled air volume. This comparison is performed on air volumes measured while the individual, being connected to a gas analyzer, runs on a treadmill in a specialized testing facility. The inhaled and exhaled air volumes pass through the gas analyzer for a determination of the oxygen concentration of each air volume. The difference in the volumes of air is said to be the amount of oxygen that the muscles have consumed to burn fuel.
While the rate of oxygen consumption has become valuable information for determining an individual""s fitness, the traditional method for measuring VO2 has been very confining. Since inhaled and exhaled air volumes are required to pass through a gas analyzer, the testing is confined to a specialized testing facility. As such, the types of physical activities performed during a traditional VO2 test are limited to activities that can be performed inside a laboratory, such as running on a treadmill, and therefore do not allow the individual to perform his/her usual physical activities under normal conditions.
The traditional method for testing VO2 is further confining because of the requirement of a mouthpiece used to connect the individual""s body to the gas analyzer. A mouthpiece covering the individual""s mouth and/or nose creates an artificial condition since the individual would not use the mouthpiece under normal conditions and is not accustomed to exerting himself/herself with the use of the mouthpiece. Furthermore, if the mouthpiece does not allow for the passage of air through both the mouth and the nose, the traditional method further confines the individual by requiring the use of only one air passage. Moreover, if the seal on the mouthpiece is broken, oxygen will be allowed to pass through the broken seal, thereby generating erroneous results.
It would therefore be an advancement in the art to determine an individual""s rate of oxygen consumption while he/she undergoes physical activity in a location where that physical activity would normally take place, rather than in a specialized testing facility. Further, it would be highly desirable that an individual""s rate of oxygen consumption be measured while that individual is exerting the type of physical activity that he/she normally undergoes. It would also be desirable for the method of determining the rate of oxygen consumption to allow for the individual to have free movement rather than being connected to laboratory equipment. It also would be desirable for the rate of oxygen consumption to be determined without the use of a mouthpiece that may cause erroneous results.
The present invention relates to methods and systems for determining an individual""s rate of oxygen consumption in order to measure the amount of work performed by the individual""s body. A heart monitor is used to measure the heart rate, and an accelerometer is used to measure acceleration. The heart rate and acceleration outputs are stored in a local storage device and can be downloaded to a local base station. After the base station receives the outputs, the heart monitor and accelerometer are available to take more measurements. The base station, meanwhile, is available to upload the outputs to a central clearinghouse for processing.
At the clearinghouse the outputs are processed into a usable form to determine the individual""s rate of oxygen consumption, also known as VO2, in order to measure the amount of work that is performed by the individual""s body. More specifically, the acceleration outputs are collected, and mathematical algorithms are employed, to initially convert the outputs into motion information and then into activity information. The heart rate and activity information are then graphed on the same time base for determining their relationship.
As explained above, the present invention relates to methods and systems for determining an individual""s rate of oxygen consumption in order to measure the amount of work performed by the individual""s body. The methods and systems of the invention allow for the heart rate and acceleration measurements to be taken at a location where the activity would normally take place, such as in a gymnasium or a swimming pool, on a track, a court or a field, or at home. Furthermore, the methods and systems allow for the activity to take place under normal conditions, as will be described in detail below.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.